Jul 26, 1812 - Frigate Essex captures British brig Leander

Jul 26, 1910 - Capt. G. W. P. Dawes becomes the first British Army officer to be awarded an aviator’s certificate in England, when he qualifies for certificate no.17 on a Humber Monoplane at Wolverhampton, England.

Jul 26, 1912 - First airborne radio communications from naval aircraft to ship.

Jul 26, 1917 - German Jagdgeschwader I, comprising Jastas 4, 6, 10, and 11 is formed and led by Manfred von Richthofen, it soon acquires the nickname of the Flying Circus.

Jul 26, 1943 - Lt. Richard Bong, who consistantly shot down a plane or two at a time, has the biggest single day of his career downing 4 fighters, while on escort duty over Lae; This made him a "triple ace" with 15 kills and he was awarded awarded the DSC.

Jul 26, 1944 - USS ROBALO (SS 273) lost on her thrid patrol. According to a note passed to a native from a jail cell window:
Quote:
"ROBALO was sunk July 26, 1944, two miles off the western coast of Palawan Island as a result of an explosion of her after battery. Four men swam ashore, an officer and three enlisted men: Samuel L. Tucker, Ens.; Floyd G. Laughlin, QM1c; Wallace K. Martin, SM3c, and Mason C. Poston, EM2c. They made their way through the jungles to a small barrio northwest of the Puerto Princesa camp. They were captured there by Japanese Military Police, and confined in the jail. They were held for guerrilla activities rather than as prisoners of war, it is said."

On August 15, 1944, a Japanese destroyer evacuated them, and nothing further is known of their destination or whereabouts. The Japanese may have executed them or the destroyer may have been sunk. At any rate, they were never recovered and their note stated that there were no other survivors.

It is doubtful that a battery explosion could be sufficiently violent to cause the sinking of the ship; more likely ROBALO struck an enemy mine.

Notes -- In regard to the fate of the four survivors, there were two Japanese destroyers lost in August 1944 in either of which the four men could have been held:
Akakaze sunk on 23 August 1944 off Cape Bilinao, Luzon by USS Haddo (SS-255).
Yunagi was sunk 25 August 1944 off N.W. Luzon by the USS Picuda (SS-382).
Also:
Robalo's commanding officer was Lt.Cmdr. M.M. Kimmel, son of Admiral H.E. Kimmel, who was commander of the Pacific Fleet on 7 Dec 41.

Jul 26, 1945 - Components of the Atomic Bomb "Little Boy" are unloaded at Tinian Island in the South Pacific.

Jul 26, 1948 - President Truman orders desegregation of the Armed Services.

Jul 26, 1952 - Aerobee fired capsule containing two monkeys and two mice to approximately 200,000 feet at Holloman AFB, all recovered unharmed.

Jul 26, 1953 - Final U.S. ground combat of the Korean war. Enemy attack against the 7th and 1st Marine Regiments, launched on 24th, concludes. Last Marine ground actions of the war are fought on Hills 111 and 119.

Jul 26, 1954 - While searching for survivors from a Cathay Pacific airliner shot down by Chinese fighters on 22 July, two AD-4s launched from USS Philippine Sea(CVA 47) were attacked by two Chinese LA-7 fighters. During the engagement, the two LA-7s were downed by seven ADs and one F4U-5N that came to assist. The ADs encountered fire from a Chinese gunboat. No damage sustained in either situation.

Jul 26, 1958 - Captain Iven "Kinch" Kincheloe Jr., Korean war jet ace (5 kills) and the first pilot to fly "out of the atmosphere" (in the Bell X-2, in 1956) is killed when his Lockheed F-104A Starfighter flames out on take off and crashes at Edwards Airforce Base.